1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic commerce over communications networks and more specifically to an identification system and method for identification of end-terminal consumers using their biometric features for authorization of transactions.
2. Description of the Related Art
As electronic commerce expands, transactions over communications networks became a target for fraudulent and criminal conducts which are becoming more organized and more technically adept. In order to combat the illegal attempts, customers' biometrics data such as fingerprints are becoming used as a reliable means for personal identification. Pat. No. 5,613,012, when a customer requests a transaction over a network to an electronic commerce service provider, he sends a biometrics feature such as his fingerprint to the service provider, where it is compared with the registered fingerprint. If they match, the service provider authenticates the transaction and proceeds to provide an electronic commerce service to the customer and enters a settlement process with an associated banking facility. However, if the customer wishes to receive service from more than one electronic commerce service provider, there is a need to register the customer's biometrics data in as many service providers as there are necessary to meet the customer's desire. In addition, if the EC service providers are equipped with a technically low-level system or manned by people who are poorly trained in biometrics data security matters, fraudulent leakage of important personal data will occur at a high rate.